Incinerator

ABSTRACT

An improved maintenance system in a pyrometric cone incinerator having a conical basketlike hollow body located in a housing and having perforated walls. The basketlike hollow body is positioned rotatably about an axis inclined at an angle to the horizontal line and has an obliquely upwardly directed large feed opening and an obliquely downwardly directed smaller discharge opening. The discharge opening is aligned with a bar cage attached to the lower end of the conical body and coaxial therewith. The outer end of the bar cage is rotatably supported on a suitable bearing which supports the body and the bar cage on a portable frame. An access door is provided in the lower axial discharge opening of the conical body. An operating means including an operating shaft extends axially outwardly from the access door through the bar cage, drive means and bearing means to an external operating handle.

United States Patent FOREIGN PATENTS [72] Inventor Fritz Schoppe A Il llIlIlI-IIII lNcrNEnA'roR BACKGROUND OlF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to incinerators and, in particular, irnprovements in a rotating pyrometn'c cone for incinerating waste material or garbage. These improvements are directed to a more convenient discharge access means for cleaning the cone between periods of use, and to a carriage support to provide convenient access for other maintenance of the cone.

2. Description of the Prior Art In a metal melting furnace it already is prior art (German Pat. 535,870) to position a spherical slopingly positioned Crucible in overhung position by fastening a narrow rim and an axle stub to the closed lower end of the crucible end whereby the narrow rim bears down on supporting rollers and a frame and the axle stub is maintained in a rotating bearing on the frame. However, on its side facing the bearing means the crucible is not provided with a bar cage, so there is no suggestion that the bars of the bar cage be connected rigidly at their lower end with a stiff carrier plate. However, that is an important structural feature of the incinerator installation according to theinvention.

In addition, in an incinerator according to prior art (German petty Pat. 1,922,626), a bar cage is connected to an axle of relatively large diameter which passes through the rear housing wall and is positioned there by means of a ball bearing connection to a frame. The application of a ball bearing connection for the specific purpose of positioning a relatively heavy hollow body centrifugally at its end, however, proved to have disadvantages. In using ball bearing connections, the deformation of the rotating part by forces transverse to the axis of rotation and by thermal deformation due to heat must not exceed very narrow tolerances. ln practical operations, particularly in case of medium and large size incinerator installations, it has been found that a certain heat transferfrom the hollow body into the bearings can `never be avoided and that only slight excessive temperatures lead to'binding'of the bearings. Another difficulty in the application of ball bearings for the purpose described resides in the fact that the weight of the hollow body and of the materials to be incinerated therein was heretofore transmitted to individual points of connection with the raceway of the ball bearing which defonned the raceway and caused failure of the device. Consequently, the above-mentioned large diameter axle was inserted between the bar cage and the bearing, said axle having to be sufficiently elastic on the one hand in order to distribute the concentrated load extending from the bars over the periphery of the bearing, but on the other hand said axle must be sufficiently rigid so as not to defonn too much under the load. The necessity for an intermediate structural part leads to a considerable added construction expense.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, the bars of the bar cage are fastened directly to a circular supporting plate with a track at its outer circumference. The track of the supporting carrier plate bears down on supporting rollers preferably disposed on the frame. The carrier plate has another carrier part connected thereto for rotation coaxially about the axis of rotation of the hollow body. This latter carrier part is held in a bearing arranged on the frame with its end facing away from the carrier plate, whereby the operating means fol the discharge opening access door is guided through the bearing, the latter carrier part and the carrier plate.

In the incinerator apparatus according to the invention the forces oriented transversely to the axis of rotation are transmitted substantially from the track of the supporting carrier plate to the supporting rollers. The supporting carrier plate has sufficient rigidity so that it can absorb the concentrated loads transmitted from the bars of the bar cage. Even if the carrier plate should deform slightly under load conditions or due to heat deformation, the load-bearing function is not affected because of the location of the cylindrical supporting rollers at the cylindrical periphery of the carrier plate. To the extent that defomlation of the carrier plate is inevitable, any offset of the axis of rotation is compensated in the bearing. The elimination of an intermediate element between the bar cageyand the bearing means and the use of fewer and simpler construction elements in the bearing means itself provides an extremely rugged and efficient positioning means which is relatively immune to temperature extremes.

This invention facilitates maintenance of the pyrometric incinerator elements exposed to combustion heat. Access is simple and convenient, because the incinerator carriage also supports at lest a portion of the surrounding furnace wall. When the incinerator carriage is moved away from the stationary walls, it automatically provides an opening through the separated portion of the wall. A

An embodiment of the invention is explained below in relation to the drawing.

FIG. l shows a schematic vertical section through an incinerator installation, and

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the incinerator installation with the housing partly removed.

ln the drawing is shown my improved incinerator installation used primarily for the incineration ofgarbage and other solid and waste materials. The principle part of the apparatus is a tubular or conically shaped, preferably perforated, hollow body 2 positioned in a rotary manner around an imaginary axis of rotation. The axis of rotation A forms an angle with the horizontal plane such that the lower line of the jacket of the conical hollow body extends horizontally or in a slightly ascending manner in relation to the apex of the cone. The jacket of the hollow body 2 `is provided with perforations through which the combustion residues are separated,v and by means of an air-feeding apparatus (not shown) combustion air can be blown in through grates into the combustion chamber. During the combustion process, the hollow body 2 is enclosed in a housing 3 whose front wall 4, top wall 5 and sidewalls 6 are indicated in the drawing by broken lines. The rearwall of the housing is identified by the member 8 and is provided with a heat-insulating layer 9.

The material to be incinerated is introduced into the hollow body 2 by means of a feed opening l0. The larger unbumable residues leave the hollow body 2 by way of a discharge opening l l. Within the area of the feed opening 10 the hollow body 2 is provided with a cylindrical section 2a and a countercone 2b which increases the capacity of thev hollow body 2.

The discharge opening ll is surrounded by a ring-shaped member l2 to which are fastened the ends of the bars 13ad of the bar cage 13. The bars of the bar cage 13 pass through an opening 14 in the rear housing wall 8 which wall is sharply bent forward in a section 8a. The outer ends of the bars of the bar cage 13 are fastened outside the rear wall 8a to a rigid circular carrier plate 1S. On its surface facing the interior of the housing the carrier plate l5 is provided with an insulation layer 16 whichY is thick enough to fill and seal the opening 14 in the wall 8a. A tapered sleeve 17 having a cylindrical terminal section 17a is connected at the outerside of the carrier plate 15.

The carrier plate 1'5 forms a track with its cylindrical peripheral surface 15a by which the carrier plate bears down on cylindrical'support rollers 18. The rollers 18 in turn are positioned by means of bearing studs projecting from an angular crossbeam 19 of a frame generally identified by 20` A yoke 2l is fastened to the crossbeam 19, said yoke carrying a selfaligning bearing 22. The self-aligning bearing 22 engages around the cylindrical terminal section 17a of the sleeve 17 and is held in the yoke 2l by ridges 21a.

The frame 20 is movable by means of the rollers 23 rotatably mounted on the respective end portions of the sides 20a. The frame carries the hollow body with all bearing parts and the rear housing wall 8 as well as the support rollers`l8` by means of the crossbeam 19. The frame 20 has the lateral sides 20a spaced so as to ride outside the housing 3, while the housing 3 embraces the hollow body 2 when the frame and hollow body are in operating position. As the drawing clearly shows, it is possible to move the hollow body 2 with all bearing parts out of the housing 3 rearward by means of the portable or movable frame 20. The rollers 23 are positioned outside of the incinerating zone of the housing 3.

The rotation of the hollow body 2 is provided by an electric motor 24 which has a worm gear 25 driving a worm wheel 26 fastened to the outer tapered wall of the sleeve 17. The electric motor 24 is mounted on the crossbeam 19.

For closing and opening the discharge opening l1, a spherical or dome-shaped closing means 27 is used which by means of an operating spindle 28 and an outer handwheel 29 can be moved coaxially to the axis of rotation A. The axis of rotation of the spindle 28 passes through the bearing 22, sleeve 17a,

carrier plate l5, the insulating liner 16 and the bar cage 13. ln

one form of the invention, matching threads are formed on the spindle 28 and in the sleeve 17a for providing the forward and rearward movement as the handwheel 29 is rotated.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawing. The hollow body 2 may have another shape, for example by being designed as a basket, bulb or sphere. Although a cone of the kind described offers the advantage that a demixing takes place in the combustion zone which promotes the incinerating operation, the invention also can be used in all those cases where a simple recirculation of the material to be burned takes place in the hollow body. It is essential that all bearing parts be located outside the housing or out of the incinerating zone. ln smaller equipment, provisions may be made to eliminate the portable frame by positioning the support rollers 18 and the crossbeam 19 on the rear wall.

The rear wall is then designed as a trap door so that the entire combustion assembly can be moved out of the housing by opening the door. Various combinations of the described designs are imaginable, where the crossbeam 19 is located on the frame, while the support rollers 18 are positioned directly at the sharply bent section 8a of the rear wall. The tapered sleeve 17 also may be replaced by a sleeve with reinforcement ribs or by a bar cage. The dome-shaped closing means 27 also may be operated hydraulically or pneumatically. ln that case, the operating spindle 28 is replaced by a pressure conduit. The self-aligning ball bearing 22 shown in the drawing also may be replaced by an ordinary roller or friction bearing positioned in a rubber casing or in some other manner so that it can oscillate to a certain extent.

I claim:

1. ln a pyrometric incinerator for disposing of combustible wastes, said incinerator comprising in combination, a furnace enclosure having at least one relatively movable portion, a generally tubular hollow body normally disposed in the furnace enclosure receiving waste material, said hollow body having a continuous peripheral wall comprising grate means for supporting waste during combustion, said hollow body having an obliquely upwardly disposed axial feed opening and an obliquely downwardly disposed axial discharge opening, said grate means extending entirely around the peripheral wall to enable penetration of combustion energy through the wall to incinerate wastes contained in the hollow body, cantilevered support means for rotatably supporting said hollow body for rotation about an axis inclined upwardly from a horizontal plane, said support means carrying the relatively movable portion of said furnace enclosure to provide clear access means to the incinerator for maintenance and repairs, means for rotating said hollow body about said inclined axis, a generally cylindrical bar cage member extending coaxially rearward in a downward direction from the discharge opening end of the hollow body and having lateral support bars providing access through the bar cage member and the discharge opening into the hollow body for removing combustion residues, closure means for the discharge opening, and operating means connected to said closure means to enable remote operation of the closure means .for said discharge opening.

2. The apparatus of claim l, m which the support means for the conical hollow body includes a frame disposed on roller means for removing the hollow body from said housing,

3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said roller means are mounted on said frame outward of the sidewalls of said hous- 4. The apparatus of claim l, in which the combustion energy includes air, hot gas and combustion residues.

5. 1n a pyrometric generally conical incinerator for disposing of combustible wastes, said incinerator comprising in cornbination, a housing having top, front and sidewalls, a hollow body disposed in the housing, said hollow body having a continuous peripheral wall, an obliquely upwardly disposed axial feed opening, an obliquely downwardly disposed axial discharge opening, and a plurality of smaller openings extending through the peripheral wall to enable penetration of combustion energy and residues of combustion through said wall into the hollow body, support means for rotatably supporting said hollow body for rotation about an axis inclined upwardly from a horizontal plane, means for rotating said hollow body about said inclined axis, said hollow body having an attached element extending coaxially rearward in a downwardly angled direction from the discharge opening end of the hollow body and having lateral openings extending through said attached element to provide direct access through said attached element and said discharge opening, operating means connected to said closure means and extending axially outwardly from the closure means through said attached element and through a portion of the support means for said hollow body to enable remote operation of the closure means for said discharge opening, the attached element comprising an axially disposed cylindrical member including a plurality of peripheral bar elements, and a generally circular plate rigidly connected to the outer ends of said bar elements, said circular plate having an outer edge surface providing continuous rotatable support for said hollow body on a portion of said support means.

6. ln a pyrometric generally conically shaped incinerator for disposing of combustible wastes, said incinerator comprising in combination, a housing having top, front and sidewalls, a hollow body disposed in the housing, said hollow body having a continuous peripheral wall, an obliquely upwardly disposed axial feed opening, an obliquely downwardly disposed axial discharge opening, and a plurality of smaller openings extending through the peripheral wall to enable penetration of combustion energy and residues of combustion through said wall into the hollow body, support means for rotatably supporting said hollow body for rotation about an axis inclined upwardly from a horizontal plane, means for rotating said hollow body about said inclined axis, said hollow body having an attached element extending coaxially rearward in a downwardly angled direction from the discharge opening end of the hollow body and having lateral openings extending through said attached element to provide direct access through said attached element and said discharge opening, operating means connected to said closure means and extending axially outwardly from the closure means through said attached element and through a portion of the support means for said hollow body to enable remote operation of the closure means for said discharge opening, said means for rotating said hollow body comprising a tapered sleeve member encircling said operating means and having its larger end fastened to the rearward side of said attached element, bearing means carried by the support means for rotatably supporting the smaller end portion of said tapered sleeve member, and driven means carried by said tapered sleeve member operatively connected to a motor means carried by said support means whereby said hollow body is rotated about said inclined axis. 

1. In a pyrometric incinerator for disposing of combustible wastes, said incinerator comprising in combination, a furnace enclosure having at least one relatively movable portion, a generally tubular hollow body normally disposed in the furnace enclosure receiving waste material, said hollow body having a continuous peripheral wall comprising grate means for supporting waste during combustion, said hollow body having an obliquely upwardly disposed axial feed opening and an obliquely downwardly disposed axial discharge opening, said grate means extending entirely around the peripheral wall to enable penetration of combustion energy through the wall to incinerate wastes contained in the hollow body, cantilevered support means for rotatably supporting said hollow body for rotation about an axis inclined upwardly from a horizontal plane, said support means carrying the relatively movable portion of said furnace enclosure to provide clear access means to the incinerator for maintenance and repairs, means for rotating said hollow body about said inclined axis, a generally cylindrical bar cage member extending coaxially rearward in a downward direction from the discharge opening end of the hollow body and having lateral support bars providing access through the bar cage member and the discharge opening into the hollow body for removing combustion residues, closure means for the discharge opening, and operating means connected to said closure means to enable remote operation of the closure means for said discharge opening.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the support means for the conical hollow body includes a frame disposed on roller means for removing the hollow body from said housing.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said roller means are mounted on said frame outward of the sidewalls of said housing.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the combustion energy includes air, hot gas and combustion residues.
 5. In a pyrometric generally conical incinerator for disposing of combustible wastes, said incinerator comprising in combination, a housing having top, front and sidewalls, a hollow body disposed in the housing, said hollow body having a continuous peripheral wall, an obliquely upwardly disposed axial feed opening, an obliquely downwardly disposed axial discharge opening, and a plurality of smaller openings extending through the peripheral wall to enable penetration of combustion energy and residues of combustion through said wall into the hollow body, support means for rotatably supporting said hollow body for rotation about an axis inclined upwardly from a horizontal plane, means for rotating said hollow body about said inclined axis, said hollow body having an attached element extending coaxially rearward in a downwardly angled direction from the discharge opening end of the hollow body and having lateral openings extending through said attached element to provide direct access through said attached element and said discharge opening, operating means connected to said closure means and extending axially outwardly from the closure means through said attached element and through a portion of the support means for said hollow body to enable remote operation of the closure means for said discharge opening, the attached element comprising an axially disposed cylindrical member including a plurality of peripheral bar elements, and a generally circular plate rigidly connected to the outer ends of said bar elements, said circular plate having an outer edge surface providing continuous rotatable support for said hOllow body on a portion of said support means.
 6. In a pyrometric generally conically shaped incinerator for disposing of combustible wastes, said incinerator comprising in combination, a housing having top, front and sidewalls, a hollow body disposed in the housing, said hollow body having a continuous peripheral wall, an obliquely upwardly disposed axial feed opening, an obliquely downwardly disposed axial discharge opening, and a plurality of smaller openings extending through the peripheral wall to enable penetration of combustion energy and residues of combustion through said wall into the hollow body, support means for rotatably supporting said hollow body for rotation about an axis inclined upwardly from a horizontal plane, means for rotating said hollow body about said inclined axis, said hollow body having an attached element extending coaxially rearward in a downwardly angled direction from the discharge opening end of the hollow body and having lateral openings extending through said attached element to provide direct access through said attached element and said discharge opening, operating means connected to said closure means and extending axially outwardly from the closure means through said attached element and through a portion of the support means for said hollow body to enable remote operation of the closure means for said discharge opening, said means for rotating said hollow body comprising a tapered sleeve member encircling said operating means and having its larger end fastened to the rearward side of said attached element, bearing means carried by the support means for rotatably supporting the smaller end portion of said tapered sleeve member, and driven means carried by said tapered sleeve member operatively connected to a motor means carried by said support means whereby said hollow body is rotated about said inclined axis. 